A CASE-STUDY IN PLANNING FOR PUBLIC-HEALTH EDUCATION - THE ORGAN AND TISSUE DONATION EXPERIENCE

The chasm between the supply and demand of donated organs and tissues continues to grow despite widespread public awareness of transplantati on and numerous efforts to educate the public about organ donation. It is fast becoming a significant public health problem in this country. The need for more effective public education is well documented in th e literature on transplantation and is a primary objective of organiza tions in the transplant field. In response to this need, the Division of Organ Transplantation in the Health Resources and Services Administ ration of the Public Health Service initiated a project to examine the nature and scope of donation education initiatives throughout the cou ntry, to identify shortcomings, and to suggest ways the Federal Govern ment could contribute to the effectiveness of public education in orga n and tissue donation. The project resulted in the development of a pr otocol that also is applicable to other health education programs. Its major steps consisted of assessing the status of donation-related pub lic education in the United States, identifying existing needs in dona tion education by applying principles learned from other public health education programs, and identifying roles that could be assumed to he lp strengthen the American public's commitment to organ and tissue don ation. These roles, which could be adopted by any transplant-related o rganization, were as broker of knowledge, producer of educational stra tegies, energizer through communications research, and catalyst by bri nging together other groups. This approach to needs assessment and pla nning may provide useful insights both for those concerned with transp lants and for professionals conducting education campaigns related to other public health issues.